Safe Travels, Winners!

Congratulations to the latest class of Writers & Illustrators of the Future winners! Their workshop week in LA just ended and I’m sure they are chock full of interesting observations and ideas for future projects. They will certainly have met some terrific fellow artists and had a fascinating experience. (I’m also betting they’re exhausted because that week is intense, but they can sleep on the way home!)

I look forward to reading volume 42!

If 42 is the answer, these stories ask the questions worth thinking about.

Discover fifteen unforgettable science fiction and fantasy short stories—illustrated in full color—featuring twelve emerging voices alongside three acclaimed masters of the genre. From visionary sci-fi to emotionally rich fantasy and quiet horror, this collection delivers bold “what ifs” that linger long after the final page.

What if a perfect rescue went catastrophically wrong?

What if the “better you” doesn’t want to share your life?

What if love could survive inside a virtual reality?

Inside, you’ll encounter a flawless time-rescue gone wrong, a beauty treatment with terrifying consequences, a detective hunted by a body-hopping killer, and a homesteader uncovering a truth that rewrites Earth itself. You’ll also find dragons that defy myth, fairy-tale chaos, supernatural horror, and high-concept science fiction that blends heart, humor, and imagination.

If you’re reading this and thinking, “Well, that sounds interesting, and also I am not a professional (yet) and might qualify for this competition,” I say go for it. The contest is free, accepts entries quarterly, and can be excellent as a motivating deadline. (And who knows, you may find yourself in a room with the writers of some of your favorite childhood books. Now that’s magic made real.)

Writer Contest | Writers & Illustrators of the Future (illustrators too!)

Enter a short story science fiction, fantasy, light horror. 

Up to but not exceeding 17,000 words. 

Free to enter and entrants retain all publication rights. 

Enter 1 story per quarter, up to 4 per year. 

Anonymous judging. This is a merit-based competition.

Here’s to this new round of winners, and to artists everywhere!

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Tax Day the First

A brief reminder: Today is tax day in the United States! (Canada’s day comes later to extend the fun.)

If you’ve finished your taxes, bravo. And if you have a little time for reading and relaxation, let me once again recommend David Hankins’ very funny book, Death and the Taxman!

After sharing an ill-advised cup of tea with IRS auditor Frank Totmann, Grim finds himself trapped in Frank’s life amid a world of dangers: love, betrayal, reckless cabbies, implacable demon hunters, and the incessant needs that keep his body ticking . . . for now.

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I just checked on my Short Story Submission for the Writers of the Future Contest (2022-q4) and found out that I won an Honorable Mention for my entry!

I thought I was supposed to get an email and have been waiting for news, but Oh well!

This was the first 'official' short story I've ever written & my first submission, so I'm super pumped to have made it to the short list like this!

Now to finish my next piece!

#shortStory #writer #writingCommunity #storySubmissions #writersOfTheFuture